Container construction



Jan. 21, 1964 KELLY 3,118,586

CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION Filed May 18, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 21, 1964 N. A. KELLY CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION Filed y 18, 196

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INVENTOR, NORMA/V AKEZZS United States Patent CGNTAETER CGNSTRUCTION Norman A. Kelly, Wayne Township, Kosciusko County, Ind, assignor to Crystal Preforming and Packaging,

Inc, Warsaw, Ind, a corporation of Indiana Filed May 18, 1961, Ser. No. 131,028 Claims. (Cl. 22917) This invention relates in general to a container construction and, more particularly, to a closure structure for a coated, pape board carton of the type adapted for holding edible liquids, such as milk or juices, said closure structure having a self-contained, pouring spout.

Coated paperboard containers or cartons have been widely and successfully used for many years. In fact, coated paperboard cartons are probably used to carry more liquid foods and beverages into the majority of average homes than any other one type of disposable container. Although many difierent types of coatings have been or can be used on paperboard containers of this character, there has been a very substantial increase in the use of plastic coatings, particularly where the paperboard container is intended to hold liquids. Thermoplastics, such as polyethylene, are 'Wfill suited for this purpose because they produce water tight surfaces which can be sealed together simply by applying heat to the surfaces to be sealed and then pressing such surfaces together. However, it will be understood that specific reference herein to polyethylene as a coating is for illustrative purposes, only.

However, there are three problems which, insofar as I am aware, have continued to exist, even in the plastic coated cartons presently used. All three of these problems arise primarily out of the existing constructions used for the closure structure at the top of the carton. In the first place, many of those cartons presently and widely used have closure structures which require substantially more paperboard than necessary merely to close the end of the carton. This additional paperboard, which materially increases the cost of the carton, may be required to provide a pouring spout, to prevent leakage or simply to provide the desired closure construction of a conventional type having a high gable.

In the second place, the cutting of the carton blanks, from which many existing cartons having self-contained spouts are fashioned, often produces excessive, hence costly, amounts of scrap.

In the third place, many existing cartons have closure structures (particular reference being made to the gable type of closure structure), which make them awkward to stack and, when they are stacked, they occupy considerably more space than is necessary for the amount of liquid which they contain. Moreover, because of the peculiar structure of their gable, such stacking must be very limited to prevent damage to the closure structure and, in some cases, subsequent leakage.

in view of the foregoing problems, considerable effort and time have been directed by many people to the development of a more satisfactory closure structure for paper board cartons of the type used to contain liquids. Yet, at least most of the cartons which are presently and widely used, such as milk cartons, have closure structures which are subject to one or more of the above discussed problems.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention has been the provision of a coated container having a closure structure capable of overcoming the above-mentioned problems, i.e., a closure structure which requires little or no more space than the minimum space required to simply cover the liquid-containing, body portion of the container; which permits easy stacking of the cartons and "ice when stacked is no more susceptible to damage than any other part of the container; which requires little or no more material than that required to cover the body portion of the container while, at the same time, including a self-contained, pouring spout and; which, therefore, reduces the cost of manufacture of the container without reducing the utility or quality thereof.

A further object of this invention has been the provision of a container having a closure structure, as aforesaid, which can be quickly, easily and satisfactorily sealed for safe storage and transportation of its contents, and which has a portion quickly and easily opened to provide a pouring spout for easy discharge of the contents from the container, such spout portion being easily moved into the closure position for continued storage of the contents remaining within the container.

A further object of this invention has been the provision of a closure structure, as aforesaid, wherein the amount of waste material developed during the fabrication of the carton blank can be held to a minimum and wherein the amount of paper board utilized to fabricate the carton blank can also be held below the minimum previously required on the commonly used, existing cartons intended for the same or similar purposes.

Other objects and purposes of this invention will become apparent to persons familiar with this type of product upon reading the following descriptive material and examining the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a container embodying the closure structure of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a broken perspective view of said container with the closure structure partially opened to form a spout.

FIGURE 3 is a broken, plan view of a container blank from which a container having said closure structure can be fashioned.

FIGURE 4 is a front view of the upper portion of said container showing said closure structure in its opened, preformed condition.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the upper portion of said container showing said closure structure in a partially closed condition.

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the partially closed container appearing in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of said closure structure in its closed condition.

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of said closure structure in its closed condition.

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken along the line Xi-lX in FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 10 is a top view of said closure structure with the sealing flap thereof in the raised position.

FIGURE 11 is a side elevational view of the partially opened, closure structure as appearing in FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 12 is a side elevational view of the upper portion of said container with the spout in the extended position, as shown in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 13 is a plan view of the upper portion of an alternate container blank from which a container having a modified closure structure can be fashioned.

FIGURE 14 is a top view of said container with the closure structure thereof partially closed.

FIGURE 15 is a top view of said modified closure structure in its closed condition.

FIGURE 16 is a sectional view taken along the line XVIXVI in FIGURE 15.

FIGURE 17 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a container having said modified closure structure.

FIGURE 18 is a top view of said modified closure structure with the sealing flap thereof in the raised position.

' qualities of the composition.

For convenience in description, the terms upper, lower and Words of similar import will have reference to the container and closure structure thereof embodying the invention as appearing in FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 4. The terms front, rear arid words of similar import will have reference to the left and right sides, respectively, of the container and closure structure as appearing in FIGURES 6, 7 and 12. The terms inner, outer and derivatives thereof will have reference to the geometric center of said container or said closure structure thereof.

General Description The objects and purposes of the invention, including those set forth above, have been met by providing a container construction which is preferably fashioned from a flat blank cut from a coated sheet of paperboard or the like. The coating on snd paperboard preferably contains at least a very substantial amount of plastic material such as, for example, polyethylene, which is preferably heat sealable. The container has four side panels and a bottom wall arranged to define a rectangular chamber which preferably, but not necessarily, has -a square cross section. The container has a closure structure fashioned from four end panels integral with said side panels and extending from the upper ends thereof a distance which, in one preferred embodiment, is approximately equal to half the perpendicular distance between a pair of opposing side panels. The end panels, which are substantially rectangular, are connected together along adjacent edges and are scored for folding into parallel, adjacent and partially overlapping positions to form a closure structure or top on the container, which top [may be flat or somewhat gabled.

One of the end panels has an integral flap extending from the free edge thereof, which flap overlies the upper edges of the other end p els and is secured thereto to seal the spaces flierebetween. An edge of said flap is manually engageable to raise the flap and expose one end panel which can be manually raised to form a pouring spout which includes portions of the two adjacent end panels.

Detailed Description The container 1%} (FIGURES 1 and 2), which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, is fashioned from a blank 11 (FIGURE 3) which is cut from a sheet of coated paperboard or the like. The sheet material, from which the container blank =11 is cut, is usually comprised of heavy paper stock or similar, suitable sheet material which is sufi'iciently stiff to be not only self-sustaining but also capable of withstanding reasonable amounts of rough handling without collapsing, particularly after a blank thereof is formed into the container '10 shown in [FIGURES 1 and 2. Said sheet material is preferably coated with a composition including a heatsealable plastic material, such as polyethylene, which may be compounded with other ingredients or additives for the purpose of improving the adhesive and other Thus, the plastic coating must be capable of achieving a strong adhesive bond with the paper stock and a strong cohesive bond with other surfaces having a similar coating when portions of the coated sheet material are heated and then firmly held together while a seal forms there/between. It is also contemplated that the coating, such as plastic, on the paperboard, from which the blank '11 is cut, can be a pressure sensitive material or a combined heat and pressure sensitive material, whereby the sealing together of the end panels is effected either entirely or partially by pressure. Under some circumstances, where the container blank has the proper plastic coating, it may be desirable to effect such sealing by applying a solvent to all or some of the surfaces between which a seal is desired and then holding these surfaces together until the seal is formed.

The blank 1'1 (FIGURE 3) is impressed, in a manner which may he conventional, with a plurality of transverse, parallel and spaced score lines 12, 13, 14 and 15 which divide the blank it into four side walls or panels l6, l7, l8 and 19, respectively, and an edge tab 2%, which is integral with the side panel 1 6. The edge tab 2%? is adapted to be partially overlapped with and secured to the side panel 19 when the tubular main body portion of the container it is formed during the container erection operation.

The container blank 11 has a lower, lengthwise score line 21 which intersects the score lines 12 to 15 perpendicularly to define lower end panels 22 therebetween. Two of the lower end panels have fold lines 23, which are arranged so that appropriate folding of the blank 11 along the score line 21 and fold lines 23 produces a flat bottom wall 24 (FIGURE 2) for the container 10.

The blank 11 (FIGURE 3) has a lengthwise score line 26 which is spaced from and substantially parallel 'with the lower score line 2?. and, therefore, intersects the score lines 12 to 15 perpendicularly. The score lines 12 to 15 and 2s define the upper end panels 27, 28, 29 and 35 which are integral with the side panels 16, 17, 13 and 19, respectively, and form the principal parts of the closure structure 3-1.

in this particular embodiment, the perpendicular distance between adjacent score lines 12, 13, 14 and 15 is substantially identical so that the erected container ll) has a substantially square cross section. The end panels 27 and 29 are rectangular and extend away from the score line 26 a distance approximately equal to half the distance between adjacent pairs of the score lines 12 to '15. The end panel '27 has a pair of fold lines 33 and 34- which converge .from the intersections of the score lines 12 and 13 with the score line 26 to the mid-point 36 in the upper edge of the end panel 27. The end panel =29 has similar fold lines "37 and 38 converging from the score lines 14- and 15 toward a mid-point 39 in the upper edge of the panel 29. The fold lines 33 and 34 combine with the score lines 12, 13 and 26 to divide the end panel 27 into three triangular portions 42, 43 and 44. The fold lines 37 and 33 and score lines 14, 15 and 26 combine to divide the end panel 29 into three triangular ortions 46, 47 and '43.

The end panel 23 (FIGURES 3 and 4-) has a slightly recessed outer edge defined by a central edge portion 51, which is substantially parfllel with the score line 26, and two fianldng edge portions 52 and 53 which slope upwardly away from the opposite ends of the central edge portion 51 toward the adjacent ends of the outer edges of the end panels 27 and 29. The end panel 23 has a fold line 55 thereon which extends from the intersection of the score line 13 and the score line as to the adjacent end of the central edge portion 51. Another fold line 56 extends from the intersection of the score line 14 with the score line 25 to the opposite end of the central edge portion 51.

The end panel 3% (FIGURES 3 and 4) has an integral sealing flap 59 which extends from the upper edge thereof. A score line 69 is impressed in the end panel so at the junction thereof with the flap 59 to provide a; hinge line the-rebetwcen. The iiap 59 preferably has a; small, manually engageable tab 61 which is integral with, and extends from, the outer edge of the fi-ap 59. A score line 62 may be provided along the junction between the flap 59 and the tab 61.

Assembly The container lit (FIGURE 1) may be assembled from a blank 11 (FIGURE 3) by first folding said blank along the score lines 12, l3, l4 and 15 and then securing the edge tab 26, along the entire length thereof, to the free edge portion of the wall panel 19 and the adjacent portions of the upper and lower end panels 363 and 22, respectively, The lower end panels 22 of the blank 11 are then folded in a substantially conventional manner along the score line "1 and fold lines 23 into the positions which they occupy as part of the bottom Wall 24. The end panels 22 are heated, as by radiant heat, until the thermoplastic coating thereon becomes soft and adhesive, after which pressure is applied to such end panels 22 in a well known manner to press them together and thereby form a liquid tight bottom wall 24. The bonding of the edge tab 20 to the wall panel 19 may be effected by heat and pressure in a similar manner.

The closure structure 31 (FIGURES 4, and 6), which includes those portions of the blank 11 above the score line 26, is preferably formed by first engaging the end panels and bending (prebreaking) them inwardly along the score line 26 and the fold lines 33, 34, 37 and 38. Specifically, this can be achieved by causing a pair of triangular plates 65' and 66 (FIGURES 7 and 9) to engage the triangular portions 43 and 47 and then pivot said triangular portions (FIGURES 5 and 6) inwardly and downwardly around the score line 26. Such movement of the triangular portions 43 and 47 also causes said panels 27 and 29 to bend along the fold lines 33, 34 and 37, 38, respectively, as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6.

After the prebreak operation, when the end panels 27 to 30 are preferably in their FIGURE 5 positions, heat may be applied thereto so that it softens the thermoplastic coating along the upper edges of said end panels and the flap 5?. Specifically, it is essential to soften said coating on the inner surfaces of the triangular portions 42, 44, 46 and 48 (FIGURE 6) near the upper edges thereof, and on the inner surfaces of the end panels 28 and 38 adjacent the upper edges thereof. The coating should also be softened on the inner surface of the flap 59 and on the outer surface of the end panel 28 adjacent the upper edge thereof.

Thereafter, the portions 43 and 47 of the end panels 27 and 29 are urged by the plates 65 and 66 to move into their substantially horizontal positions of FIGURES 7 and 9. Due to the structures of the end panels 27, 28, 29 and 3 9, such movement of the triangular portions 43 and 47 into their substantially horizontal positions also causes all parts of said end panels to move into positions substantially parallel with the bottom wall 24. The portions of said end panels within the zone defined by the broken lines at 68 (FIGURE 8) are then compressed between the pressure pad 69 (FIGURE 9) and said plates to effect an adhesion between the engaged portions of the end panels within said zone. This adhesion, which occurs primarily between the inner surfaces of the end panels, is controlled by the application of heat and the shape of the pad 69 so that the end panel 3% is held in substantially permanent connection with the triangular portions 42 and 48 of the end panels 27 and 29, respectively. However, the inner surfaces of the end panel 28 and adjacent triangular portions 44 and 46, respectively, of the end panels 27 and 22 are sealed together only along the upper edges thereof. The end flap 59 is sealed not only to the exposed portions of the inner surfaces of the triangular portions 44- and 46 appearing in FIGURE 8 but also to the outer upper edge of the end panel 28. The tab 61 is, at most, only loosely tacked to the outer surface of the end panel 28 so that said tab can be easily engaged and lifted away from said end panel 28. Because of the recess in the upper edge of the end panel 28, a similar, but none-the-less liquid-tight, bond is produced between the inner or lower surface of the flap 59 and the surfaces on the triangular portions 44 and 46, which the flap 59 overlays. This arrangement prevents seepage through the crack between the upper edges of the triangular portions 42 and 44 (FIGURES 4 and 9).

The shaded areas on the blank 11 in FIGURE 3 indicate the regions on said blank where the adhesion is produced by the cooperating action of the plates 65 and 66 with the heating pad 69. The single line shading indicates that the adhesion occurs on the near side of the blank and the double line shading indicates that the adhesion occurs on the far side of the blank.

When it becomes desirable to open the closure structure 31 of the container 10, the tab 61 is manually engaged and raised until the flap 59 is pulled away from engagement with the end panel 28 and the exposed edges of the triangular portions 44 and 46. The opposite side edges of the end panel 28 are then manually pressed, as between thumb and forefinger, toward each other as they are si multaneously moved upwardly away from the remainder of the container. This causes the end panel 28 to bend along the fold lines and 56, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 12, to form a pouring spout 67 for guiding the con tents of the container 10 as it is discharged therefrom.

If some of the contents, such as milk, remain in the container 14) after the pouring operation, the spout 67 is collapsed back into its FIGURE 10 position after which the flap 59 is pressed back toward its FIGURE 8 position. Normally, there is sufiicient strength in the flap 59 to overpower the tendency for the end panel 28 to move upwardly, so that the contents of the container 10 are fully covered and protected against accidental entry of foreign materials through the closure structure and the resultant contamination.

Alternate Structure FIGURES 13 to 18, inclusive, disclose a modified closure structure for a container 76 which can be fashioned from a container blank 77, the upper portion of which is shown in FIGURE 13. The lower portion of the container 76 may be substantially identical to that of the container 16 disclosed above. Moreover, the container blank 77, hence container 76, may be fabricated from a plastic coated paperboard, or the like, such as that described above with respect to said container 10.

The container blank 77 (FIGURE 13) is cut from a sheet of said coated paperboard and provided with a lengthwise score line 73 spaced from and substantially parallel with the upper edge of the blank 77. The blank 77 is also impressed with four, uniformly spaced fold lines 81, 82, 83 and 34, which intersect the score line 78 perpendicularly and preferably divide the portion of the blank 77 below the score line 78 into four side panels 86, 87, 88 and 89 and an edge tab 92 which is secured to the side edge of panel 86 when the container 76 is formed. The side panels are preferably of substantially the same width so that the container defined thereby has a square cross section in this embodiment. The score line 78 and the upper ends of the fold lines 81, 82, 83 and 84 define four substantially rectangular, upper end panels 93, 94, and 96 which are integral with and extend upwardly from the side panels 86, 87, 88 and 89, respectively. The end panels 93 to 96, which form the major part of the closure structure 97, preferably project from the score line 73 a distance slightly greater than half the distance between a pair of adjacent fold lines 81 to 34. Thus, since the container 76 has a substantially square cross section, the end panels 93 to 96 are capable of forming a gabled closure 97, as appearing in FIGURES l6 and 17.

The end panels 93, 95 and 96 (FIGURES 13) have convergingfold lines 199, 161 and 102, respectively, which are generally and preferably similar to the fold lines on the end panels 27, 29 and 28, respectively. The upper edge 193 of the end panel 96 defines a shallow recess similar to that defined in the upper edge of the corresponding end panel 28 on the container 10. The end panel 93 is divided by the fold lines 1% thereon into the three triangular portions 104, 165 and 106. The end panel 95 is divided by the fold lines 161 thereon into the three triangular portions 167, 108 and 109.

The container blank 77 also has an integral end flap 11% which extends along the upper edges of the end panels 93, 94 and 95 between the mid-points 111 and 112 in the upper edges of the panels 93 and 95, respectively, where their fold lines 100 and 101 converge. Accordingly, the end flap has a central portion 113, which projects away from the end panel 94 and the two side portions 7 114 and 115, which project away from the adjacent parts of the end panels 93 and 95, respectively. The central portion 113 of the end flap 118 has an integral, upwardly extending tab 117 which serves the same purpose as the end tab 61 on the container blank 11.

When the closure structure 97 is assembled in its closed position shown in solid lines in FIGURES 15, 16 and 17, the end panels 94 and 96 (FIGURE 16) are disposed in upwardly converging positions to form a slightly gabled closure structure 97. The triangular portions 1G4 and 167 of the end panels 93 and 95, respectively, will be dis posed adjacent to and substantially parallel with the corresponding portions of the end panel $5, as shown in FIGURE 18. In a similar manner, the triangular portions of the end panels 93 and 95, respectively, will be adjacent to and parallel with the lower side of the end panel 94. The side portions 114- and 115 of the end flap 11%) (FIGURE 18) will be tucked under and snugly against the central portion 113 of said end flap so that said side portions bear against the upper, adjacent outer edge portion of the end panel 95 and against the exposed parts of the triangular portions ill-t and 197 above the edge 163 or" the end panel 96. It will be noted that the remote edges of the side portions 114 and 115 (FIGURE 13) abut each other (FIGURE 18) adjacent the center of the central portion 113 of the end fiap 116 when the container 76 is assembled. The base triangular portions 105 and 1598 of the end panels 93 and 95, respectively, will slope upwardly toward each other and converge at the top center of the closure structure W.

With the various parts of the closure structure 97 in their positions of FIGURES 15, 16 and 17, heat and pressure can be applied thereto in a manner generally similar to that described above with respect to the closure structure 31, whereby said closure structure 97 is made liquid tight. When it becomes desirable to open the closure struc are 97, the end tab 117 is manually engaged and the flap 119 is thereby raised into its solid line position of FIGURE 18 or broken line position 110a of FIGURE 17. The end panel 96 and adjacent triangular portions 104 and 1&97 of the end panels 93 and 95, respectively, are then moved upwardly away from their FIGURE 18 positions to form the spout shown in broken lines at 121 in FIGURE 17. By collapsing the end panel 96 into its FIGURE 18 position and returning the end flap 11%) to its FIGURE 15 positions, a temporary closing of the closure structure 97 is achieved to prevent contamination of the contents of the container.

It will be recognized that, by reducing the extension of the end panels 93 to @6 from the score line 78 so that such extension is approximately equal to half the perpendicular distance between a pair of adjacent fold lines 81 to 34, the closure structure 97 can have a substantially flat top like the closure structure 31 on the container (FIGURE 1).

Although particular preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed above for illustrative purposes, it will be understood that variations or modifications of such disclosure, which come within the scope of the appended claims, are fully contemplated.

What is claimed is: V

1. A gabled closure structure for a container construction fashioned from a unitary blank of coated paperboard or the like, said container having four side walls and a bottom wall defining a substantially rectangular compartment, said closure structure comprising:

four substantially rectangular end panels integral with and extending from the upper ends of the side Walls, the junctions between said end panels and said side walls being defined by straight score lines lying substantially within a plane substantially parallel with the bottom wall, each end panel being connected to the end panels adjacent thereto, such connections being defined by fold lines perpendicular to said score lines, and each of said panels extending from 5 its score line a distan c -e greater than half the length of the score line associated with an end panel adjacent thereto; 7

means defining a pair of fold lines in one end panel convergin from the opposite ends of its score line to a pair of spaced points located on the free upper edge of said one end panel and on opposite sides of the midpoint on said upper edge of said one panel;

means defining in each of the two end panels flanking said one end panel a pair of fold lines converging from the opposite ends of their respective score lines to the mid-points in the upper edges thereof; and

a flap integral with and extending from the upper edge of the end panel opposite said one end panel a distance less than about half the extent of said opposite end panel from its side wall, said flap overlying the upper edge portion only of said one panel and the underlying portions of said fiank'mg panels, said flap being releasably secured to said upper edge portion of said one panel, and said one panel and said opposite panel converging upwardly from their respective score lines so that their upper edges are adjacent and in substantially abutting relationship to each other when said closure structure is in its closed position.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the extent of said one end panel from its score line is gradually and slightly reduced toward the central portion thereof between the fold lines thereon so that the upper free edge of said one end panel is offset slightly and inwardly from a line defined by the upper edges of said flanking panels; and

wherein said one panel is bent along its fold lines and outwardly from its converging position to form with the adjacent end portions of said flanking panels outside or" said converging lines thereon an integral pouring spout.

3. A gabled closure structure for a container construction fashioned from a unitary blank of paperboard or the like, said blank having a theremoplastic coating and said container having four side walls and a bottom wall defining a rectangular compartment having a substantially square cross section, the combination comprising:

four substantially rectangular end panels integral with, and extending from, the upper ends of the side walls a distance somewhat greater than one half of the perpendicular distance between a pair of opposite side walls, the junction of each end panel with its adjacent side wall being defined by a straight score line, such score lines lying substantially within a plane parallel with the bottom wall, each end panel being connected to the two end panels adjacent thereto, each such connection being defined by a fold line substantially perpendicular to an adjacent score line, a substantial portion of the free edge of one end panel having spaced portions converging inwardly from a line defined by the free edges on the two panels flanking said one panel;

means defining in each of said flanking end panels a pair of fold lines converging from the opposite ends of their respective score lines to the mid-points on the respective free edges thereof;

means defining a pair of fold lines in said one end panel converging from the opposite ends of its score line to a pair of spaced points on opposite sides of and substantially equidistant from the mid-point on the free edge of said one panel;

a flap integral with and extending from the upper edge of the end panel opposite said one end panel a distance less than about half the extent of said opposite end panel from its side wall, said end panels being folded along their associated fold and score lines toward each other so that said flap overlays the upper edge portion only of said one end panel and the underlying portions of said flanking panels, said flap eing releasably secured by said thermoplastic to 9 10 said upper edge portion of said one panel, and said upwardly away from said closed portion to form a one panel and said opposite panel converging uppouring spout, such movement of said one end panel wardly from their respective score lines so that their being around its associated score line through an upper edges are adjacent and in substantially abutangle not in excess of approximately 120 degrees; and ting relationship to each other when said closure 5 wherein the coating on the paperboard includes a substructure is in its closed position. stantial amount of polyethylene. 4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said flap is the only part of said blank extending outwardly of said line References (Iited ill the file Of this Patent defined by the free edges on said flanking panels, and UNITED STATES PATENTS 2 3$? i gg g z f tab Whlch unsecured 2,034,594 Norris et al. Mar. 17, 1936 5. The structure of claim 3 wherein said opposite panel 2233488 Coweu 1941 has a fold line defining the junction thereof with said end 2826249 Hovland 1958 flap; v 2,861,/32 Parker Nov. 25, 1958 wherein the edge of said first panel has a central por- 15 fi g i g tion parallel with the score line of said one panel; 3O59826 en 6 6r u 1962 wherein said fold lines on said one panel and said arms c flanking panels are arranged so that said one panel FOREIGN PATENTS and adjacent portions of said flanking panels outside 594,503 Great Britain NOV. 12, 1947 of the converging fold lines thereon can be moved 20 

1. A GABLED CLOSURE STRUCTURE FOR A CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION FASHIONED FROM A UNITARY BLANK OF COATED PAPERBOARD OR THE LIKE, SAID CONTAINER HAVING FOUR SIDE WALLS AND A BOTTOM WALL DEFINING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR COMPARTMENT, SAID CLOSURE STRUCTURE COMPRISING: FOUR SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR END PANELS INTEGRAL WITH THE JUNCTIONS BETWEEN SAID END PANELS AND SAID SIDE WALLS BEING DEFINED BY STRAIGHT SCORE LINES LYING SUBSTANTIALLY WITHIN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH THE BOTTOM WALL, EACH END PANEL BEING CONNECTED TO THE END PANELS ADJACENT THERETO, SUCH CONNECTIONS BEING DEFINED BY FOLD LINES PERPENDICULAR TO SAID SCORE LINES, AND EACH OF SAID PANELS EXTENDING FROM ITS SCORE LINE A DISTANCE GREATER THAN HALF THE LENGTH OF THE SCORE LINE ASSOCIATED WITH AN END PANEL ADJACENT THERETO; MEANS DEFINING A PAIR OF FOLD LINES IN ONE END PANEL CONVERGING FROM THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF ITS SCORE LINE TO A PAIR OF SPACED POINTS LOCATED ON THE FREE UPPER EDGE OF SAID ONE END PANEL AND ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE MIDPOINT ON SAID UPPER EDGE OF SAID ONE PANEL; MEANS DEFINING IN EACH OF THE TWO END PANELS FLANKING SAID ONE END PANEL A PAIR OF FOLD LINES CONVERGING FROM THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE SCORE LINES TO THE MID-POINTS IN THE UPPER EDGES THEREOF; AND A FLAP INTEGRAL WITH AND EXTENDING FROM THE UPPER EDGE OF THE END PANEL OPPOSITE SAID ONE END PANEL A DISTANCE LESS THAN ABOUT HALF THE EXTENT OF SAID OPPOSITE END PANEL FROM ITS SIDE WALL, SAID FLAP OVERLYING THE UPPER EDGE PORTION ONLY OF SAID ONE PANEL AND THE UNDERLYING PORTIONS OF SAID FLANKING PANELS, SAID FLAP BEING RELEASABLY SECURED TO SAID UPPER EDGE PORTION OF SAID ONE PANEL, AND SAID ONE PANEL AND SAID OPPOSITE PANEL CONVERGING UPWARDLY FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE SCORE LINES SO THAT THEIR UPPER EDGES ARE ADJACENT AND IN SUBSTANTIALLY ABUTTING RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER WHEN SAID CLOSURE STRUCTURE IS IN ITS CLOSED POSITION. 